"Sarcastic and merciless one, you glory in the pain you give! But if
you wish again to hear me say I love you, I will say it a dozen--yes, a
hundred--times over if you will only admit that you could love me a
little in return."
"Don't; that would be tiresome; two or three times is quite enough.
Besides, what earthly good could my saying 'I love you' do?"
"It might persuade you to become the wife of one who will adore you to
the last hour of his life."
"Meaning you?"
"Meaning me; the most devoted of your admirers."
"That isn't saying much, since I haven't got any but you."
"Thank fortune for it! Then I am to understand, charming Capitola, that
at least your hand and your affections are free," cried Craven,
joyfully.
"Well, now, I don't know about that! Really, I can't positively say;
but it strikes me, if I were to get married to anybody else, there's
somebody would feel queerish!"
"No doubt there are many whose secret hopes would be blasted, for so
charming a girl could not have passed through this world without having
won many hearts who would keenly feel the loss of hope in her marriage.
But what if they do, my enchanting Capitola? You are not responsible
for any one having formed such hopes."
"Fudge!" said Cap, "I'm no belle; never was; never can be; have neither
wealth, beauty nor coquetry enough to make me one. I have no lovers nor
admirers to break their hearts about me, one way or another; but there
is one honest fellow--hem! never mind; I feel as if I belonged to
somebody else; that's all. I am very much obliged to you, Mr. Le Noir,
for your preference, and even for the beautiful way in which you have
expressed it, but--I belong to somebody else."
"Miss Black," said Craven, somewhat abashed but not discouraged. "I
think I understand you. I presume that you refer to the young man who
was your gallant champion in the Forest Chapel."
"The one that made your nose bleed," said the incorrigible Cap.
"Well, Miss Black, from your words it appears that this is by no means
an acknowledged but only an understood engagement, which cannot be
binding upon either party. Now, a young lady of your acknowledged good
sense----"
"I never had any more good sense than I have had admirers," interrupted
Cap.
Craven smiled.
"I would not hear your enemy say that," he replied; then, resuming his
argument, he said: "You will readily understand, Miss Black, that the vague engagement of
which you speak, where there is want of fortune on both sides, is no
more prudent than it is binding. On the contrary, the position which it
is my pride to offer you is considered an enviable one; even apart from
the devoted love that goes with it. You are aware that I am the sole
heir of the Hidden House estate, which, with all its dependencies, is
considered the largest property, as my wife would be the most important
lady, in the county."